Clamp.



M. H. GOULD.

CLAMP.

APPLICATION FILED MIN. I3. I9I'6.

WITNESSES rammed sept. 251917.- f

INVENTOR ATTO HNB'Y.

MILLARD H. GOULD, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA.

` CLAMP.

Specification of Letters Patent. 'Patented Sept, 25, 1917,

Application filed January 13, 1916. Serial No. 71,903.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that 'MILLARD H. GOULD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, has invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clamps, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to improve-` ments in clamps, for attaching the end of a wire rope, cable or chain .to a metal or wood block such as is commonly used in all kinds of construction work. The invention has for its object provision of a strong, durable clamp of the eccentric type and of simple construction and which has a knock down feature which eXpedites the attachment of the end of a stiff wire cable to any object such as a steel or wood block. v

Another feature of the invention is its convenient shape which enables the clamp to be placed between a series of ropes which are operating in a block without disarrangement of their respective `lines of action and operation. l

Still another feature of the present invention resides in the design of the head or eye of the clamp with relation to the position of the eccentric sheave forming part of the clamp, which is such that the line of pull of a cable attached to the clamp is in a direct line with the head or eye portion of the clamp thus tending to avert cross strains in the clamp body as will be more fully set forth hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated one complete example of the physical embodiment of my invention constructed according to the best mode I havel so far devised for the practical application of the4 principles of the invention.

Figure 1 isa vertical side view of the clamp showing a wire rope just after being placed in the clamp, andy with all attachments in place.

Fig. 2 is a vertical end view of the same.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on line 1-1 of v Fig. 1.

Fig. l is a central sectional view of the device showing the wire rope in place and the eccentric sheave in action holding the rope firmly within the clamp.

Fig. 5 is an end view of a steel block with the clamp in position and holding the end of one of the cables.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail end view of the eccentric sheave used.

Fig. 7 is a side view of same. f f

Fig. 8 is an enlarged detail end view of a portion of one of the downwardly extending arms ofthe clamp similar to that shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 9 is an enlargedv detail side view of the central axle of the clamp with its attachments.

f Fig. 10 is an enlarged end view of the same taken from the left of Fig. 9.

In the preferred embodiment of my invention as shown in the drawings, I utilize a casting 1 having an eye portion 2, downwardly projecting arms 8 and 4 which for purposes of attaining additional strength are enlarged somewhat at 5 and 6 of Fig. 4. On the sides of casting 1 are located plates 7 and 8 which slide over pins 9, 10, 11 and 12. 11 and 12 are located directly opposite to 9 and 10 as shown in Fig. 8. The pins 9 and 10, etc. are screw threaded into the body 1 of the clamp and are pilot-ended or bevel nosed as shown at 13 and 14 Fig. 8 to enable quick entry of said pins into their respective complementary holes in plates 7 and 8. This is an important feature as will be shown hereinafter.

The two plates 7 and 8 carry an axle 15 which in turn supports the eccentric sheave 16. The axle has a pilot-end 17 Fig. 9 for easy entry through the side plates 7 and 8. The whole device is then held in assembled position by means of a locking key 18 which passes through the axle 15 and in turn 18 is held against disengagement by means of a cottei pin 19. It will be clearly seen that when locking key 18 is inposition it will hold plates 7 and 8 against the sides 20 and` 21-of casting 1 and hence the pins 9, 10, r11 andf12 will act as abutments for said plates 7 and 8.v

The eccentric sheave 16 as shown clearly in Figs. 6 and 7 has a hole 22 which is eccentrically placed in the body 23 of the sheave, said hole terminating in two raised bosses 24: and 25 formed integral' with the sheave body. Also the eccentric sheave has a series of grooves 26, 26 which are made to conform with the exterior strands of a wire rope such as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 thereby increasing the friction pull of the sheave. It will be understood that any other form of indentation in the surface ofthe a suitable indentation for a chain or other form of power line.

In use the clamp is placed in position as shown in Fig. 5; one of the bolts 27 of the block 28 is passed through the eye 2 of the clamp 1. The clamp is by this arrangement placed between all of the ascending and descending vropes 29, 30, 31 and 32 in an out 0f the Way position and so as not to interfere with the active operations of the block 28 or of the ropes attached thereto. The end of rope 33 is attached to the clamp I, as follows The cotter pin 19 and locking key 18 are removed. Plate 7 can now be instantly removed from the clamp v1. Eccentric sheave 16 can then be moved sufliciently outward to allow the stiff wire cable end 35 to be wrapped around same. The eccentric sheave and rope 35 can now be inserted in the cavity 36 of the clamp 1 and the side plate 7 can be slid over the pilot nosed pins 9 and 10 and axle 15 and the locking key 18 and Cotter pin 19 then inserted and the whole clampvthus locked ready for the cam action of the sheave 16 to take place. This cam action takes place as soon as the end 36 is put under tension either in the block or by any other suitable method.

As seen in Fig. 4 the sheave 16 being eccentric with reference to the axle 15 the rope is jammed between the wall of the cavity 36 and the face 37 of the sheave 16 and the more tension brought on 36 in a downward direction the more secure is the cam or jamming action of the sheave as is readily seen.

It will be noted that as the end 35 of 'a wire cable is usually very stii and offers great resistance to being curved or bent,

lthat an arrangement of clamp whichhas what may be called a quick knocklown feature is very essential. Otherwise it would be next to impossible to insert theend 35 through the clamp. It will be further noticcd in this connection that the pilotnosed features before' describedl in. connection with the pins 9, 10, 11 and 12 and axle 15v are also essential because'v exact alinement of the holes in the plates 7 and 8 with pins 9 and 10 and axle 15 thereby becomes unnecessary as the plates 7 and 8 can be hit with a hammer and driven or pried home on said pins and axle and the stiifness or stubbornness of the wire cable thus overcome ywith force. An additional feature is the strengthening of the clamp body at points 5 and 6 where it will be seen the reaction of the loadon the cable is resisted bythe shear on the pins 9, 10, 11 and 12 and that there may be a good body of materialinto which said pins fasten, the enlargements to the clamp body are made at these ypoints as shown.

Anotherimp'ortant feature is the shape of the clamp which is so vdevised that when the strain is applied on- 33 Fig. 5 the line of action of said strain will be along line 2-2 and in a straight line with lthe eye portion 2 of the clamp thus avoiding eccentric stress inthe body portion 38 and providing for an' almost direct pull onthe eye portion 2' of the clamp. This is at onceseen to be a very desirable feature.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is I v1. ln a line clamp in combination, a body portion having an eye,curved downwardly projecting arms, integral with said body portion, pins on said arms,- side plates adapted to engage on said pins, an axle mounted in said plates, and an eccentric sheave -on said axle.

2. A line clamp comprising a body portion. having an eye, downwardly curved arms formed on said body, an eccentric' sheave adapted to bel received between said arms, an axle for said sheave, removable side plates and coperating means on said side platesand said arms and said axle whereby the side plates may be readily po-y sitioned on saidarms and axle'. l y

3. A line clamp comprising albo/dy portion having an eye, downwardly curved arms formed on said body, an eccentric sheave adapted to be received between said arms, saidsheave being in such relation to the body portion of the clamp that thefline of pull of a cable inserted in said sheave will be in a .direct line with the center of said head or eye portion ofthe clamp body. f f

In testimony whereof, I- hereby afiix my signature, in the presence of two witnesses.

' f MILLARD H. GOULD. `Witnesses: .1 f' v JOHN F. SWEENY, l W. A. HIRTLE.

(Joules of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

